This invention relates to an applicator that can be used by a healthcare professional to apply an anti-microbial solution, such as an alcohol-based prep solution, to a patient""s skin. Such an alcohol-based prep solution can be used for IV and surgical site preparation and as a general skin disinfectant.
Because microorganisms lie on the skin, standard invasive medical procedures require the patient""s skin where the procedure is to take place to be disinfected prior to the procedure. This skin preparation is important in order to minimize the risk of infection to the patient.
Alcohol has long been recognized as a fast acting broad-spectrum disinfectant. Alcohol-based prep solutions have many advantages over soap or water based prep solutions, such as reduced prepping and solution drying time. However, alcohol is flammable and its use and application on a patient must be carefully controlled in order to minimize the fire hazard created when such an alcohol-based prep solution is used. Indeed, in its January 1992 Guidance on Surgical Fires, the ECRI stated that approximately ten surgical patient fires come to its attention per year. Most of these fires ignite on or in the patient and obviously can cause considerable injury to the patient. The ECRI estimate that this problem is more severe than the numbers would indicate because it believes that numerous other unreported fires occur. This problem is exacerbated today since today""s surgical suites and other patient care facilities include a significant number of electrical equipment that may come in contact with the patient. For example, such electrical equipment includes patient monitoring devices, electrosurgical or electrocautery devices, defibrillators, heated probes, drills, burs, argon beam coagulators, fiberoptic light sources and cables and lasers, which all may be used on and around the patient. In addition, the atmosphere in surgical suites and other patient care facilities is made more combustible because of the common use of oxygen there.
Many different anti-microbial applicators exist but could be improved. Some applicators allow the anti-microbial solution to flow therefrom in large uncontrolled amounts. Other applicators do not have a mechanism to shut off the flow of the anti-microbial solution once the flow starts so that all of the anti-microbial solution must be dispensed from the applicator. Both of these types of applicators are problematic because they may allow excessive amounts of the anti-microbial solution to flow onto the patient where it could pool and create a significant fire hazard if the anti-microbial solution is flammable. In addition, a patient is often covered by a surgical cloth drape after prepping, i.e. the disinfecting procedure, takes place. Where a significant amount of the anti-microbial solution is placed on a patient, the surgical drape can collect the vapors from the anti-microbial solution as the excess anti-microbial solution vaporizes. Again, if the anti-microbial solution is flammable a potential exists for a severe accident to the patient and the healthcare professionals in the area. Also, this inability to adequately control the flow of anti-microbial solution on and around the patient increases the likelihood that the solution will stain material in the area.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an applicator for an anti-microbial solution that controls the amount of the solution that flows from the applicator.
It is another object of this invention to provide an applicator for an anti-microbial solution that allows the user to stop the flow of the solution therefrom when desired.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an applicator for an anti-microbial solution that allows the solution to remain in the applicator after some of the solution has been dispensed for subsequent use or disposal.
The applicator for an anti-microbial solution of this invention includes a generally hollow handle having a closed proximal end and an open distal end, a foam pad attached to the hollow handle over the open distal end, and a flow control valve associated with the foam pad. The hollow handle contains the anti-microbial solution therein. Alternatively, the hollow handle may contain an ampoule the holds the anti-microbial solution therein. The flow control valve controls the flow of the anti-microbial solution from the applicator handle to the foam pad and then to the patient. The flow control valve is a slit formed in the foam pad. The slit is designed so that it remains closed when no pressure is exerted on the distal surface of the foam pad. However, when pressure is exerted on the distal surface of the foam pad, such as when the applicator is pressed against a patient""s skin, the slit opens to allow the anti-microbial solution to flow past the slit into the foam pad. There the anti-microbial solution can be easily distributed over the patient""s skin by the foam pad. When a sufficient amount of the anti-microbial solution has flowed into the foam pad, the healthcare professional can release the pressure exerted on the distal surface of the foam pad to stop the flow of anti-microbial solution out of the applicator handle.